Secret Keeper
by moonlitpages
Summary: <html><head></head>(Set after Thor: The Dark World and contains some plot from Agents of SHEILD) When Loki reveals himself to a member of his King's guard, he finds himself growing fond of the woman forced to keep his identity a secret. Will Eira betray her new king or will she keep his secret to keep him safe? Loki x OC (Rating may change later)</html>
1. Chapter 1: An Unexpected Promotion

**Chapter 1: An unexpected Promotion**

Eira ran her fingers gently through her hair, pushing back a few stray strands from her face. She tilted her golden skin towards the sun and sighed inwardly. How long had it been since she was free of her duties from the palace? Weeks? Months? It felt longer.

In reality, it had taken one week to clean the mess Prince Thor had left in his wake when he and his brother had left Asgard to face the dark elf Malekith. Most of the debris had been cleared away now and the realm's greatest builders had been called in the begin the reconstruction of the damaged buildings and monuments, but the damage was still visible. It had taken every spare hand to make such fast progress, even the palace guards had to take a place in the cleaning. Eira deeply resented this. She was used to being stationed outside under the stars, with nothing but her bow and keen eyesight, but Odin had demanded that Asgard be restored as soon as possible.

Today was Eira's first day of freedom from the palace since the reconstruction had begun. The night before had been a long one, she had spent much of it at her post on the ramparts, keeping watch with the other sentries. When she had been released from her duties she immediately made for the forests of Asgard, to seek peace from the noise of the palace. She was currently led in secluded glade, with only the sounds of the forest to disturb her.

Eira remembered the commotion when Thor had left. At first it was believed that the dark elves had returned for a second attack on Asgard, due to the sheer amount of damage, not to mention one of their ships being spotted racing away from Asgard. It was an exit true to the character of Thor, loud and destructive. As the young girl contemplated Thor, she could not help but think of his brother. Prince Loki had been killed in battle that ensued after their escape whilst protecting his elder brother. Strange how Odin had not held a funeral in his honour, but perhaps the old man had his reasons. Eira wondered how many would have cried for him there. He was known for his treason again the crown, but Eira felt that many in Asgard still held a soft spot for the troubled young prince.

A gentle nickering at her side disturbed Eira's train of thought. Her winged horse, Fell, nudged her shoulder with his muzzle and flexed his great black feathered wings pointedly. Eira raised an eyebrow but obliged and slowly got to her feet. Fell followed suit and nibbled affectionately at his mistress' hair. Eira picked up her bow and quiver from where it had been resting on the ground and mounted her companion for the journey back to the palace. She wound her fingers through his jet black mane and leant forward to whisper in his ear.

"Come Fell, let's beat that record time of yours shall we?"

Fell swung his head, stretched his wings and in one mighty swoop the pair were soaring through the clouds.

* * *

><p>When the palace stables came into view, Fell dropped to the ground allowing Eira to alight. The stable boy ran to meet them both, looking nervously at the pegasus. Eira smiled at the boy, who did not seem to notice. Eira noticed that he had tugged his sleeves down to cover his fingers, apparently worried that they would be nipped should Fell notice the exposed flesh. Pegasus were not common in the palace stables and were usually reserved as steeds for the royals, but Eira has found Fell as a young foal and he had refused to be handled by anyone else since.<p>

"Be gentle with him Fell" she said, smiling fondly at the animal. "The poor wee mite isn't going to get used to you if you keep biting him"

Fell snorted and led himself into his allocated stall, leaving the boy to trail hopelessly behind him. Eira laughed as she turned her back on the pair heading for the shade of the castle, thoughts of wine and lunch already clouding her thoughts.

"Lieutenant Eira!" a voice barked from across the courtyard. The young woman groaned under her breath, she knew that voice anywhere. Plastering a very cheery and very fake smile on her face, she turned to face the voice.

"Captain Halvar! What can I do for you on this fine afternoon?"

The captain glared at the girl from under his golden helm. She was often one to shirk her duties despite being very good at what she did and the two were known to argue often. He gritted his teeth and rocked slightly on his feet. It was almost as though he was having difficulty processing his next sentence.

"The King has requested your services personally – I suggest you smarten up before you greet him. I'm not having you show me up, you look a mess."

Eira allowed herself a real grin this time, she could almost have ignored the small jibe from her Captain. If the King has requested her then that meant she was on track for a promotion, which explained Halvar's foul mood, he was so very protective of his job. She straightened her golden cloak and brushed at her brunette locks half-heartedly. Unlike Halvar, who was a swordsman, Eira did not wear the heavy armour of a warrior. Her uniform consisted of light leathers of gold and silver, far less impressive, but easier to move in during combat. Her hair hung loosely down to her waist. Her male colleagues often threatened to cut it during their sparring, but none had ever been fast enough to outwit her.

"Thank you Captain, I wouldn't want to be late and show you up would I?" She winked. Eira continued into the palace, heading for the throne room. As her footsteps echoed through the great halls Eira wondered how long she would be kept from her lunch.

* * *

><p>The throne room was as large and empty as ever. The place had felt oddly cold and sad since the Queen had been murdered. It made Eira's heart heavy to think about, many of the female members of the palace had regarded the Queen as a motherly figure, especially some of the younger maids who had left their own families behind. The great glittering floors reflected the impressive sight of King Odin sat atop his throne, flanked by two heavily armed guards. He sat, staff in hand, gazing across at Eira as she entered, his expression unreadable. Eira had only been in the King's presence a handful of times, but that had been when the Princes has filled the halls with laugher, it felt like an age ago.<p>

"Your Highness" Eira said as she kneeled before her King. As she bowed her head she noticed something odd out of the corner of her eye, a shimmer of golden light surrounding Odin.

"Stand" the booming voice replied.

Eira stood and held the King's gaze. Again the strange light seemed to flicker around him, but then it was gone almost as soon as the thought had entered her mind.

"I requested your captain send me his most capable archer and it seems that he has sent me you" he began. "Although I have to say I was not expecting him to send me a woman."

"My sex has no bearing on my fighting skills your highness" Eira said quickly, worried that his disappointment might fuel him to send her away.

"Do you find your duties as a Lieutenant fittingly stimulating?"

Eira remembered the previous night, 7 hours atop the palace ramparts in the rain. "I would be lying if I were to say that I did" she said carefully "but I am happy to serve you in any way possible, my King".

"What is your name girl?"

"Eira, your majesty."

"What if I were to offer you a place in my personal guard Eira? Would that provide an appropriate change of scenery?"

"It would be my honour to serve you by your side King Odin" Eira said kneeling a second time.

"Get up girl" the King snapped. "You will remain with me until such time that I dismiss you and you will continue to report to your captain should he need you, is that understood?"

"Yes" Eira breathed, trying hard to keep a stoic face in the King's presence, on the inside she was dancing. She would be the first to admit that she was not the most hard working soldier, but she longed to rise through the ranks as her father once had.

"I will take to the gardens, your duties will begin now." He glanced down at the guards by his feet "You may both leave".

As Odin rose from his throne the guards marched in unison to open the door for their King, Eira trailing gleefully behind them. She couldn't wait to rub her new promotion in Halvar's face.

* * *

><p>Eira followed Odin out into the sun. The King walked through the gardens, until he found a suitably hidden seat under a willow. He sighed under the dappled light and slumped onto the stone seat. Without the golden glitter of the palace surrounding him, Eira felt that the King looked particularly old and tired. She said nothing and stood to his right, so his blind spot was covered should an unsuspected attacker ambush them.<p>

The pair remained in silence whilst Odin seemed to stare off into the gardens. Eira wondered if this were a place that the King and Queen enjoyed together. She thought perhaps that he had come here to feel closer to his lost wife and she smiled softly to herself. The King deserved some peace after all that had happened.

"Eira, did you ever meet my sons?"

Eira startled at the sound of his voice and shook her head in response. Realising that Odin could not see her from the angle at which she was stood she cleared her throat and said; "no sire".

"No. I would have remembered you" he said quietly. Eira frowned. Did Odin meet all of Loki and Thor's companions? She remained silent, the Kind seemed lost in thought.

"What did you think of Loki?" he said after another moments silence.

"I never met him your majesty. He seemed to crave power and your throne. Some of the guards say that he should have been killed sooner. That you were soft for keeping a threat to Asgard alive". A flicker of anger crossed Odin's features as she said this.

"And do you agree?"

"No" she said carefully, "I always thought he looked so sad. I think he only wanted your validation, even if he went about the wrong way to get it."

Odin did not reply. His gaze was fixed on the distance. Eira watched him wondering if he would speak again, but it looked as though he would say no more.

Eira was just about to settle herself into a day dream, when the strange shimmering light from the throne room returned. At first it was a flicker, then it grew into a shining glow. She watched astonished as the King transformed below her. His huge aged body became young and lithe. White hair became black. Gold turned to Green.

Eira gawped wordlessly at the figure before her.

"Whatever is the matter little one? You look like you have seen a ghost" Loki purred.


	2. Chapter 2: Secrets in the Garden

**Chapter 2: Secrets in the Garden  
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Any average person in Eira's situation might have stood gawping at Loki for hours, but Eira's solider instinct kicked in immediately and within seconds she found herself pointing a drawn arrow between the Prince's eyes. Loki remained calm, but the smirk he had worn when he had initially revealed himself was gone.

"Is this how you treat your King girl?" he asked coldly. Loki had to admit he was surprised by her reaction. He had half expected her to be happy to see him alive.

"You are not my King" Eira snarled back, surprised by the venom in her voice. "What have you done with Odin?" Ah. There was the reason for her adverse reaction. The silly girl thought she had him figured out.

"Odin? Odin is gone you stupid girl."

Eira pulled the bow sting tighter.

"You murderer" The hate in her voice had reduced it to a strained whisper. She felt hurt and confused that she had been fooled. "You tricked him. You tricked him and killed him! You have committed the highest form of treason. I should kill you right where you sit and save your brother the trouble." To hammer this point home Eira pushed the tip of her arrow closer to Loki's face.

Loki reached up a pale finger, pushed the arrow head away from his face and stood to his full height. He pushed the tip of Odin's spear under Eira's chin, tilting her face upwards to meet his gaze. Eira's hand instinctively dropped her bow and flew up to clutch at the object being pushed against her skin, but she was not strong enough to stop his movements. She winced as he pushed the tip further into her flesh, restricting her wind pipe. His rage now matched Eira's own.

"If you threaten me again, _girl_, I will have you executed."

Eira glared up at him but said nothing. She couldn't.

"It seems to me that you are letting your imagination run away with you. I merely stated that he was gone."

"But-"

"Do you think that the people of Asgard would take kindly to a King who had murdered his predecessor? I think not. If I had killed him then why would I choose to stay in his weak form?" Loki was disappointed to say the very least. Surely he was not the only intelligent being in Asgard?

Eira tried to shake her head, but Loki pushed the spear further into her neck.

"I am your King now. You will pledge your loyalty to me. Is that understood?"

Eira whimpered. Loki pushed his face closer to Eira's and repeated in a menacing whisper;

" I said, _is that understood_?"

Eira could not speak to voice her disgust, instead she spat in his face. Eira expected Loki to kill her there and then, but instead Loki grinned, an expression which only served to make him look more unhinged. He released enough of the pressure off her neck to allow her to talk.

"I…would rather die… than serve you."

"If you do not obey me, I will have the guards retrieve your family. I will have you watch while I murder them all and then, only after you have watched everyone you love destroyed, will I allow you the mercy of death. So I will ask you again. Will you kneel before your King little Eira?" The threat of violence delighted Loki, he knew she had no choice but to obey him now. It wasn't hard to exploit love as a weakness. In reality he had no idea if the girl even had a family to torture, but apparently she did, as her face had visibly drained of colour.

Eira's mouth fell open as her brain began to imagine the sight of her Father and Mother being slaughtered before her. She knew enough of Loki's deeds in Midgard to know that this was not a bluff.

"Yes." she choked.

"Yes what?" Loki purred.

"I will kneel before you… my King."

"Good." Loki said, simultaneously pulling the spear away from Eira's throat. She gasped as the pressure on her windpipe was released. She slowly bent to pick up her fallen weapon, keeping her eyes on Loki should he try to assault her a second time. He simply watched her coldly. As Eira levelled with him again she suddenly felt very small standing in front of the Prince, but in spite of this she did not alleviate her gaze from him. As the two stared each other down, Eira realised that she still had a thousand questions for Loki. She opened her mouth to ask and then closed it quickly. She was suddenly frightened of the man that stood before her. She was an accomplished archer, but her close range fighting skills lacked what Halvar liked to call "finesse" and Loki was a master of magic. She didn't stand a chance.

Loki watched the girl open and close her mouth like a fish and felt a pang of annoyance.

"What?" He snapped. "If you have something you must say then please, _say it_." His voice dripped with false politeness.

"If you are posing as the All-Father in secrecy, why would you reveal yourself to me… your Highness?"

"If you are entertaining the notion that you are special, then you would be wrong. It was simply boredom. I grow tired of ruling Asgard with no-one to appreciate my work, just as I am tired of your questions. Escort me to the throne room."

"As you wish my Lord." Eira said, returning her arrow to her quiver. Loki's image disappeared in a gentle glow of gold to be replaced by that of Odin's form.

Loki turned away from her. He was angry with himself. Why had he risked his crown, for a chance to gloat? And why had this girl not reacted with anything but admiration for him? Clearly he had been right about one thing, the people of Asgard were not ready to know that it was him that controlled them. Perhaps he should have the girl killed anyway? She was of no real use to him, he could easily have her replaced with another archer, there were hundreds of them around the palace. But she knew his secret now and she may yet prove a worthy ally.

"I see no point in hiding myself from you." Loki waved a hand across Eira's eyes. Eira flinched, expecting him to strike her, but he did not. When she opened her eyes Odin was gone and Loki was once again stood before her.

"Come little Eira, there are realms to be ruled."

Eira's skin crawled as he said her name.

* * *

><p>Evening had fallen over the palace of Asgard and Eira made her way out into the grounds. Lanterns glittered around the courtyard, casting long shadows in the twilight. The rest of her day with Loki had been uneventful. He had carried out Odin's kingly duties from the throne room, ignoring her completely. Her brain buzzed with unanswered questions and confusion. She longed to be free of the palace that had become an entirely different burden to the one it had been the night before.<p>

Eira strode to the stables automatically, she craved a companion who would not harm her heart further tonight. Eira let out a low, long whistle as she approached the stalls and a happy whinny responded to her call. Eira unhooked the latch on the heavy wooden door and swung it open for Fell. The proud pegasus trotted to meet her, butting her lightly with his head.

"Good evening to you too" Eira smiled. The expression felt foreign to her after she had spent so much of her day brooding. Fell cantered around her, stretching his wings. Eira smiled again, but this time it was pained. As a member of the King's guard she was unable to leave the palace grounds for any length of time should Loki need her.

"No Fell, we cannot leave the palace tonight."

The pegasus stopped and pawed the ground. He nudged her again and lowered his body. An invitation for her to climb on. She stroked his back and looked towards the bifrost. If Loki had imprisoned Odin somewhere, then there was one person in Asgard who would know where he was, but visiting him would mean betraying Loki. Eira's stomach churned as she thought of his earlier threat, but how many more lives would be at stake if she allowed him to remain on the throne?

Reaching a decision, Eira climbed up on Fell. She gripped his mane and swung him round to face the bifrost. Eira glanced back at the castle, feeling her skin prickle. Could Loki be watching her now? For a second she thought of turning back, but quickly found her resolve. She could not let any harm come to the people of Asgard.

Fell responded to her touch and shot into the night sky. The pair soared above golden buildings and over the rainbow bridge. As the bifrost's chamber came into view, Eira pulled Fell into a dive. The pegasus landed on the bridge and broke into a run. The emotional turmoil in Eira had reached its peak, she began to shout as the pair closed in on the chamber.

"Heimdall!"

There was no response.

"Heimdall!"

Still nothing.

Fell skidded to a halt and Eira leapt from him, running inside the golden chamber, only to crash full force into a guard that stepped from the shadows. He pushed her away and drew his sword.

"What are you doing here? This place has been restricted."

"I'm here to see Heimdall." Eira panted, glancing around the chamber. It looked empty. A laugh sounded from her right and a second guard stepped into view.

"Have you been living under a rock lieutenant? Heimdall sits in the dungeons. He has been there for the past week."

"What?"

"Yes" Said the first guard, eyeing her curiously. " Odin had him imprisoned for his treason, he allowed the Princes to leave Asgard against his wishes."

Panic began to rise in Eira. If Heimdall had been taken to Asgard's prisons, then that confirmed that Loki's intentions were not to bring Asgard into a new age of peace. With Heimdall gone, there was no way for her to contact Prince Thor and if she didn't move fast then someone would tell Loki that she had been here. Eira felt the blood rushing in her ears as her body reacted to the adrenelinen now pumping through her system.

"What is so important that you must race here to see Heimdall?" The second guard said, cutting across her thoughts.

Eira did not reply. She whirled around and mounted her steed, wishing him to race back to stables with all the speed of the gods.

* * *

><p>Loki looked out across Asgard from his balcony. He had watched Eira leave towards the stables and her flight that followed.<p>

He twirled with the golden spear absently as he followed the small black dot's progress towards the gateway between worlds. He could not allow this treachery to go unpunished, but if he punished the girl too harshly then he risked breaking her spirit, which in turn could lead to some foolish last ditch attempt to have him discovered.

Without Heimdall she was not currenty a threat. Even with her winged beast she could not escape Asgard without knowing Loki's secret pathways.

The Prince toyed with keeping to his earlier threat and having her family brought to him. Perhaps not to be _killed_, but to knock a little more sense into the girl. She clearly did not understand who she was dealing with.

As Loki considered this, he thought about the incident in the garden. Any other soldier would have tried to over power him, to find the true location of his father, but Eira had become powerless as soon as he threatened those closest to her. She was controlled by her emotions, not a good trait for a soldier, but this would perhaps become useful to him. She didn't seem like the prized guard that Captain had made her out to be, but if she were then Loki would have a dead guard on his hands and more lies to construct.

Loki decided that he would refrain from punishing her. After all, her of of him would keep her quiet for a sort while. Perhaps her fear could even be molded into loyalty.


	3. Chapter 3: A Change of Heart

**Thank you to everyone who has read the story thus far – hope you enjoy the next chapter!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3: A Change Of Heart<strong>

The sound of clashing metal rang through the sparring ring. Eira and Halvar circled each other warily. Eira took the occasional swing towards her Captain, but he deflected her advances every time.

"Work harder! You're slacking"

"I am trying!" Eira panted back. She swung again desperately, but Halvar blocked the swing as easily as if he was swatting a fly.

Eira ran for him, but again Halvar danced around her.

"You are distracted Eira! How on earth are you supposed to protect our King if you cannot even swing a damn sword? Work girl!"

Eira fought back tears. They had been in the ring for most of the morning and she hadn't even grazed Halvar's armour. She wanted to scream at him, to tell him everything, but she knew that Loki would likely kill him and anyone else that was around to hear her confession. She took a frantic lunge towards Halvar, who stepped lightly to the side and slashed his blade across her forearm. Eira yelped and sprang back. She wanted to examine the light cut his sword had made, but she knew that would be another sign of weakness.

"If the King were to see how poorly you faired in the ring he would surely fire you on the spot."

_Good_ Eira thought. She swung her sword high above Halvar's head, but the movement was slow and effortlessly dodged by her captain. This time he moved behind her back and jammed the hilt of his sword into the base of her spine. She cried in pain and swung round to meet him. Halvar's training sessions would get increasingly more violent the less effort she put into them.

"Looks like today might be the day you finally loose that pretty hair of yours."

Eira grunted in response and tried another lunge, Halvar was expecting this and again stepped to the side, but not before he stuck out his boot and sent Eira careening into the mud.

"You are wasting my time Eira. There is only so much I can do. If you don't put in the work, then you're not going to get any better."

"I know" She mumbled, rising from the muck and brushing as much off her face as she could.

"What would your father think of this pitiful display Eira?"

Eira said nothing and stared glumly at the floor. For the first time in a long while she felt completely out of her depth. She knew Halvar would eventually mention her Father, he often did if he lost his patience with her.

Eira's father had held the rank of General within the royal army. When he had married his wife he had dreamt of fathering sons who could carry on his legacy and become brave warriors. Fate, however, had different plans for General Vidar and his wife bore two healthy twin girls. Eira and her sister Valdis, although very much alike in looks, were very different in nature. Valdis was headstrong and stubborn like their father and often talked of how she would become a shieldmaiden and join Asgard's army. Eira, on the other hand, had an affinity with the family's horses and wanted to run her own stables.

One day, whilst hunting together in the forests of Asgard, Valdis' horse lost its footing on the bank of a river. Eira had tried to help her sister, but Valdis was caught on the saddle and the weight of the horse had pulled her deeper into the water. Lacking the strength and speed to save her sister, Eira had no choice but to watch her drown.

The family suffered from the loss of Valdis. Eira had once heard someone say that twins could not live apart and if one should die, the other would surely meet the same fate. On the worst days Eira felt they were right. She felt dead without Valdis.

Eira vowed to take her place in the army and fulfil the role of the son Vidar had always wanted. Eira worked under her father until he retired from the army, but she never became the accomplished swordswoman that her sister was. Instead, Eira used her skill with a bow to climb the ranks. She had been looking forward to seeing the pride in her father's face when she told him that she had become a member of the King's guard. Now she only felt sick at the idea of involving her father in the lie.

"I think we should call it a day" Halvar sighed, seeing the defeated look on Eira's face. Eira blinked back tears and nodded mutely.

"You had better report to the King,. Go and get cleaned up."

* * *

><p>Loki stretched out on the cushioned sill, staring out across the bifrost. Just beyond his vision were worlds that he would soon conquer, Midgard, Vanaheim, Nifleheim, they would <em>all<em> be his. He smiled and looked onto the silent library in which he sat. He would often retire here when he wished to be alone. He had everything he needed here, hordes of books and peace. It was beautiful. Even the dust particles in the air looked like glitter in the sunlight. As long as he had lived in the palace, Loki had never seen anyone share his passion for the palace's grand library. Nobody, expect Frigga of course. As he thought of his mother, her voice rang in his ears as it often did.

_"You are always so perceptive about everyone but yourself"_

Loki winced as he allowed himself this small thought of his mother. If he closed his eyes he could almost feel her standing with him, surrounded by the shelves of dusty books. When she was alive, Frigga had made him feel human, but now she was gone he a had hole in his heart that could not be filled. What would she think if she knew his plans for the nine realms? Loki turned his gaze back to the window. He didn't want to think about it.

Loki glanced back down at the book on his lap and flicked his hand through the air. The pages responded to his magic and turned without having to be touched. Just as he found a suitable place to settle back into the story, a knock sounded through the library.

"M-my King" a small voice squeaked from the library entrance. A young maid poked her head out from a small crack in the doors. She was frightened to enter, "Odin" had been uncharacteristically menacing this past week.

"What?" Loki barked from his perch. He glared scathingly at her and although some distance separated them, he saw the young girl quiver. The maid opened the door further to reveal Eira stood with her.

"I-it's your guard Sire. She couldn't find you, I-I was trying to help-"

"Get out of my sight you useless child."

The maid nodded and hurried past Eira, glad to be away from the bad tempered king. Eira glanced up at Loki. She wondered how strange he must have looked to the maid, wearing Odin's form but reclining on the high window as graceful as a cat.

Loki returned her scrutiny. Eira's eyes were puffy and red, she looked as though she had been crying. He supposed that was his fault. Ever since their altercation in the garden she seemed to have become a nervous wreck.

The young woman strode into the library, her hands clasped smartly behind her back. She held her head high in an attempt to hide her fear from Loki. She turned her back on the books and leant against a shelf under his perch. He watched her as she did this, with a mild interest. He wanted to know if she would pick up a book and read alongside him, but she only used them as a prop to lean against. He wrinkled his nose at the obvious lack of respect for his books.

Eira saw this expression of disgust and inwardly quivered. Did he know of her trip to the bifrost chamber last night? Was she about to be punished?

"Don't lean on them"

"What?"

"The books. Get off them."

Eira glanced at the shelf behind her and took her weight off it. Loki seemed satisfied and looked back out of the window.

Eira sat slowly on the floor and gazed at her bandaged arm. She needed to work harder at her sword skills if she ever stood a chance of defending herself properly.

_If a bow is such a terrible weapon, then why would Loki want me on his king's guard? _

The thought had not crossed her mind yesterday, but it was true. She had been so glad to have been chosen by "Odin" that she never thought to question her promotion. Eira realised that Loki had undoubtedly lied to her, but she knew she could not question him. She felt that to disturb him now would be a grave mistake.

The silence pushed against her ears. Eira found the sheer size of the library, combined with its apparent sound proofing, exteremely unsettling. She felt that if she were to scream then no one outside these walls would hear her. She turned to look at the titles of the books behind her. Perhaps she could read one to distract herself?

Eira traced a finger over the spines of the books, trying to remember the last time she had immersed herself in a story. Reading had been forgotten when she had become a warrior, her father would have made her life far more difficult if she had been caught with a book rather than practising. Probably just as difficult as he would have made her life if he caught her reading now while she was on duty.

_Best leave them alone _she thought.

Instead she took a large handful of her long hair and began to braid it absently.

Loki watched her fingers work through the braid, plaiting , untying and plaiting again. Her hair, the colour of chocolate, spilled over her shoulders and onto the floor around her. Deep brown eyes, followed her work, half closed, relaxed. Loki allowed his eyes to travel over her armour clad figure. She was strong and muscular, but she still had a softness to her form. The leather of her armour did not hide her figure, and as Loki's eyes followed her curves, he found himself entirely distracted. She was beautiful.

_Perhaps beautiful enough to cloud one's judgement_.

Loki sneered as the notion presented itself in his mind. No. He was far above any mortal desires, especially those same desires that had weakened his brother. The only reason he had kept her alive, especially after her little trip to the bifrost, was to serve his own end. Although, maybe he wouldn't threaten her family's lives again. Something told him that his mother would have found it ungentlemanly.

Eira peeked back up at the Prince (or was it King now?) through her lashes. He was sneering at the pages of his book. She studied his pale features and thought of what she had said the day before.

_"I always thought he looked so sad. I think he only wanted your validation, even if he went about the wrong way to get it."_

Eira feared Loki, she knew that. It was the smart thing to do. He had somehow managed to usurp Odin, the most powerful warrior in Asgard. Still, she couldn't help but think that she was right, at least in some way. He was a murderer yes, but Thor had also been willing to murder the innocent once. Maybe she wasn't at risk after all? Maybe he did want someone to praise him?

Eira searched his face, surely there was something good left inside him? She permitted herself a small smile at the thought.

* * *

><p>The pair spent the remainder of their time together in the library in silence. Occasionally glancing in the other's direction.<p>

Eventually, as the sun began to set, Loki stretched and stood up from the sill. He leapt silently from the window to the library floor and straightened expectantly, waiting for Eira to scrabble to her feet, but she did not move. Her head was bent over her hair, which was now full of tiny braids. Loki watched her chest rise and fall, and realised that she had fallen asleep.

Some small voice in the back of his mind told him to carry her back to her chambers, but he quickly shook off the thought. Besides, what would people say if they saw the mighty Odin carrying the young sleeping archer through the halls?

_Besides, I don't even know where the soldiers sleep._

Instead, Loki picked up Odin's spear from where it had lent against the wall and banged it on the tiled floor.

The reaction was instant. Eira jumped to her feet, drew her bow and glanced madly around her, looking for some kind of threat. When she realised it was only Loki stood there looking exteremely impatient, she blushed and withdrew the weapon.

"Sorry" she mumbled.

"Don't you think it would be best to retire to your chambers? Its not entirely professional to be sleeping on the job now, is it?"

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><p>That night, when Eira's head finally hit the pillow, she dreamt of dark figures and golden light.<p>

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><p><strong>Feedback is much appreciated – please let me know what you think! :)<strong>


	4. Chapter 4: Do I know you?

**Thank you to everyone who has read the story so far, as always any feedback is much appreciated!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 4: Do I know you?<strong>

In the weeks that followed Eira's encounter with Loki in the library, the pair had spent no time alone. Eira was surprised to find that this was the opposite of what she wanted. The young woman felt she had seen something in him during their quiet hours alone, she wasn't quite sure what it was exactly, but she wanted to see it again.

Unfortunately for Eira, Loki had to keep up the deception that he was the All-Father and Odin would certainly not spend hours in the library when there was important business to attend to. It made Eira feel uneasy to think about. She would shake her head, as if to shake off the curiosity that she felt towards Loki.

He was _not_ a mystery she should be spending time trying to solve, he was a villain that needed to be punished for his crimes. Despite this, during her time spent at his side, she could not help but glance his way and sometimes she fancied that he was doing the same.

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><p>Eira awoke as the early morning sun lit her room. She stretched under the soft sheets and allowed herself a few more minutes in bed, her head turned towards the window, watching the sun rise gently over the horizon.<p>

Eira blinked and felt a tear roll down her cheek. She reached up and wiped it away, trying to remember why she had been crying. In her sleepy state it took a few seconds before she began to recall the dream she had been having.

Eira had dreamt that she was in a starry meadow, surrounded by the most beautiful flowers. The colours had seemed vivid even though they were basked in the light of the moon. As Eira began to make her way through the meadow, she saw her sister in the distance. Valdis had waved at her happily, beckoning her. Eira wanted to run to her, to embrace her, but there had been something stopping her. A voice. It had called her name. The feeling of happiness she had felt at seeing her sister began to evaporate as the voice became louder. The sound of the voice calling her name filled Eira with a longing she had never known before. She turned away from Valdis to see a dark shadow encircled with golden light, but before it could reach for her, Eira had awoken.

She had been having the same dream since she had fallen asleep in the library. Eira wasn't sure what it meant, but she assumed it was stress. Valdis often visited Eira's dreams when she started to feel run down. It was when the guilt liked to surface the most.

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><p>In the kitchens Eira sat at one of the long tables reserved for the soldiers. She pushed her breakfast around on her plate and listened to the chatter of the maids as they prepared the food for the day. Many of them were huddled around one maid who was beaming and holding her belly, they hugged her and laughed with each other, clearly delighted by her happy news.<p>

Eira scowled and pushed away her plate. She hated mornings like this. The maids always reminded her that she was a prisoner in her own job. Eira didn't have the freedom that most women her age had. Her job was 24 hours around the clock. She couldn't take a husband that wasn't in the army, she never saw men that weren't her colleagues. She couldn't start a family either. She tried to imagine telling her father that she was going to settle down to start a family. The dissapointment on his face in her mind made her shiver.

A passing cook tapped Eira on the back of the head with a wooden spoon that she was holding.

"Eat up darling! We don't have food to waste on you!"

Eira picked up the hard bread from her plate reluctantly, but was saved by a familiar face.

Halvar entered the kitchen greeting the maids loudly, wearing a winning smile. The effect was instant, the women flocked to his side in a fit of giggles, leaving the pregnant girl looking rather taken aback by having her thunder stolen.

Eira arched her eyebrows at him as he winked at a couple of the prettier girls. He took a seat opposite Eira, still beaming at his adoring crowd. Eira could see why so many of the women in the palace loved him, the combination of his ice blue eyes and blonde curls and muscular physique had always made him popular with the ladies. Eira wondered how many of them knew Halvar's true personality, but they didn't have to spend their time being shouted at by him like she did.

The head cook (renowned for being an old dragon) placed a plate of cooked treats in front of Halvar and pinched his cheek. Eira rolled her eyes and glanced at her plate of bread and vegetable broth. _This_ was why she always tried to eat before the other men arrived at breakfast.

"Morning Lieutenant, ready for a grueling morning in the sparring ring?"

Eira was still struggling with her swordsmanship, she was getting better, but her hair was now tied into a high pony tail. She didn't was to risk losing it today.

"I thought I was supposed to be with the King this morning Captain?" Eira said, perhaps a little too quickly.

"Yes, I had your hours changed" Halvar said lightly, taking a bite of chicken, ignoring the surprise in her voice. "We need to work on your skills. I'm not having you miss evening practices while you flounce about on that flying cow of yours."

"He's a horse."

"Besides" Halvar said, ignoring her. "The King seemed more than happy to oblige to my request, said something about taking a few hours for himself in the library."

Eira cursed under her breath. Not only was she going to have to endure the next five hours with Halvar in the ring, but she had also missed an opportunity to be alone with Loki. And to add to her disappointment, it sounded like he was glad to be rid of her too.

"Don't look so sullen girl, it ruins your pretty face. What's wrong with spending a few extra hours with your Captain eh? Am I right girls?" he added, winking at the pretty blonde who was cleaning the table next to them.

"Captain, honestly, you're going to be more of a womaniser than Fandral at this rate."

Halvar ignored her, the blonde had turned her back on them to wash another table, her hips seemed to be moving deliberately slowly.

Eira stood up and grabbed Halvar's arm, pulling him up with her.

"If we are going to spend all morning in that goddamn ring then we might as well get started."

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><p>Loki was sprawled in a squashy armchair in the library. For once in his life it seemed he was having trouble concentrating on the books around him. He got up and wandered to the window, his encounter with Halvar still playing on his mind.<p>

He should have told him that he needed the girl, that his training could wait. Loki felt that the library would have been a far more tranquil place had Eira been kept by his side. At least then he could stop thinking about her.

This was ridiculous. He needed to focus on his task at hand. He had done nothing in the way of moving his plans forward, granted he needed to move slowly so as to avoid detection, but coming to a standstill was not an option. He was a god, not some pathetic mortal, he was above feelings like this.

He stepped over to the table beside the chair that he had been sat in minutes before and picked up the goblet of water that had been resting on its surface. Loki concentrated on the water within the goblet and let his magic show him what he wanted to see.

In the depths of the waters an image began to form. A strong figure with long blonde hair was sleeping with a woman in his arms. Thor and the Foster woman. So he was content then? Would he remain in Midgard even if he heard of his brother's deception? Probably not. But there was one woman that would be able to keep Thor on earth. She held an extraordinary power over men, a power that had nearly cost Odin the throne. Her beauty was legendary within Asgard, although Loki had only ever seen her once, being led to a prison cell. She had indeed been beautiful, but not more beautiful than... His thoughts were suddenly cut short when he realised that the image before him in the goblet was changing.

The picture of Thor and Jane in the goblet reformed to become and image of two warriors clashing swords. Loki snarled as the watery Eira flew at her Captain. He flung the goblet to the floor in frustration.

How was he supposed to get anything done with her constantly playing on his mind?

Loki glanced in the direction of the locked library door. If she could not be with him, then he would have to go to her.

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><p>Eira gasped for breath as Halvar put her through her paces. She was tired, but definitely improving. Halvar's armour remained glittering and smooth as always, but Eira bore no marks of their fighting either.<p>

"Good to see you have finally taken all my advice to heart girl!" Halvar laughed as he watched his student double over, struggling for air. "I think you should rest for a minute, then we will work on your stance."

Eira nodded wordlessly at the floor and pushed herself up to a standing position. Someone clapped as Halvar left the ring. Eira looked round and saw a young, handsome soldier, apparently applauding her efforts. She had spent enough time with her fellow warriors to know he was mocking her.

"You know, it's hard to believe you couldn't hit him really. He is rather large." The soldier said.

Eira smirked and looked over at Halvar who was polishing his sword. He was broad and muscled and yes, very large.

"Yes, well, he's a lot faster than he looks." She smiled. "Do I know you?"

"No" he said curtly. "We have never met."

Eira walked over to him, and looked into his face. There was something about his eyes that seemed familiar, but she knew she had not seen him around the palace before.

"No" she said slowly "I don't think we have."

"Are you always this poor a fighter? Or are you pretending to earn extra practice with _teacher_?"

"Excuse me?" Eira was taken aback by the soldier's apparent disregard for manners.

"Do you enjoy him throwing you around in the ring like that?" the soldier sniffed.

"No, don't be so stupid. You think I enjoy being beaten while the likes of you get to watch? I don't think so!" Eira gazed at the soldier and she saw a flash of anger as she scolded him. Great. He was clearly one of those men who just assumed everyone should kneel before him.

"I am not stupid!" the soldier snarled. "I think _you_ are the one lacking intelligence for wasting your time out here in combat with _him_, when you could be doing more productive things."

Eira didn't know what to say. This man, who was built like a berserker warrior, thought she could be doing something better than combat? It didn't make sense. She watched his eyes flick over to where Halvar was stood.

"Actually" she said airily, watching his expression carefully "I'm training to be able to protect the King, I would say that was pretty worthwhile, wouldn't you?"

_There. That should shut you up._

The soldier snorted, clearly not impressed by her boast. "Why on earth would you want to protect that old oaf? I'm sure you are capable of far greater things."

"I like my job" Eira said defensively. "I wouldn't expect you to understand, but Odin is a great man. I am very privileged to be able to spend time in his company."

The soldier smiled now. "So great that you would rather be with him than in this sparring ring?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact" Eira snapped, suddenly realising that she was blushing.

"Interesting" the soldier whispered, more to himself than to Eira.

"Don't you have something better to do than lurk around the sparring ring criticizing people?" Eira realised that she was becoming quite flustered by the soldier's questions.

The man smirked at her and looked back over at Halvar again. When his eyes came to rest on the woman again he seemed slightly more relaxed.

"It has been a pleasure, _little Eira_" the soldier said, bending forward in a mock bow. Eira didn't miss the sarcasm dripping from his voice.

Without another word he turned on his heel and made his way towards the palace.

Eira watched as he walked away and as the light hit him he almost seemed to shimmer.

_How did he know my name?_

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><p><strong>Please let me know what you think! Chapter 5 on its way! :)<strong>


	5. Chapter 5: Ambush in the Library

**Here's Chapter 5 - sorry about the wait for new content! Enjoy~**

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><p>The next few hours of Eira and Halvar's training session passed slowly. She could not shake the strange feeling she had been left with after her conversion with the mysterious soldier.<p>

_I should have asked for his name, Halvar would have known who he was._

Regardless of the distraction Eira worked hard in the training ring and Halvar allowed her to leave for her duties on time. She left quickly, not surprised by the familiar butterflies that had made their way into her stomach.

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><p>When Eira stepped into the golden throne room, she was surprised to see Odin sat atop the throne, not his dark haired son.<p>

For a second, Eira thought that this figure before her was the real Odin, but as he moved she realised he was just an illusion. The real Odin was still locked away, but where was Loki?

Eira looked around for another presence, but she was alone.

"Loki" she hissed, glancing around her. The Odin illusion looked at her with an expression of great distaste, but said nothing. Eira couldn't stop herself from smiling. How clever, that look would silence anyone and the illusion would have no need to speak.

"Loki"

A hand reached up from behind Eira and covered her mouth. She turned her head to see the Prince scowling at her. Eira was surprised that this time the fear she felt came from the fact that he looked angry with her, rather than the fear that he would hurt her.

Eira's skin seemed to tingle where his hand pressed against her. Loki had not attempted to touch her since their first meeting in the garden.

"Library" he mouthed and with a wave of his hand, he disappeared.

Eira looked back the Odin illusion. Would this truly fool anyone who wished to see the King?

As if in response the illusion sniffed haughtily and adjusted its position on the throne. Eira sighed, she guessed that Loki knew what he was doing, after all, he was a master of magic.

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><p>She headed out of the throne room and towards the library, walking briskly. She tried to keep her pace slow, but a second chance at being alone with the Prince kept her feet moving faster. She tried to avoid the gaze of her fellow guards as she passed them in the corridors, worried that she would alert them to the lack of a real king in the throne room.<p>

As the Library doors came into view, Eira realised that she had been walking so fast she had almost been jogging. Her cheeks reddened as she thought about how ridiculous she must have looked to the others she had passed in the palace.

_You are acting like a foolish school girl, you are a soldier. Pull yourself together._

This thought did not seem to help still her pounding heart. Eira's fingers reached out towards the golden handles of the Library doors, but she did not push them open.

She brought her breathing back to a normal rhythm, willing herself to concentrate on the cold of the handle beneath her fingertips. When she felt fully composed, Eira pushed open the doors and stepped inside.

A quick glance around the Library told her that Loki was not in sight. She turned slightly to close the doors gently behind her. She heard them click as she did so.

Eira frowned and tugged experimentally on the handle. Locked. The library doors did not usually lock. Loki must be here after all.

"What good are swords and shields when you cannot see your opponent?" A voice whispered by her ear as soon as she had let his name enter her thoughts.

Eira whirled round, but again she was met with an empty room. At least it looked empty. There were rows upon rows of books and two balconies above Eira's head. Plenty of places to hide.

Eira's soldier instincts were screaming at her to ready her bow and prepare for a fight, but she ignored them. She felt relatively safe. Even so there were some things her brain could not override and Eira crouched slightly into a defensive position, keeping her back against the wall.

"Weapons are essential, your opponent cannot stay hidden forever" Eira said to the empty room. She started to circle round the Library, still keeping her back against the wall.

"Perhaps not, but a sword is useless if your enemy can sneak up behind you and slit your throat" Loki replied. Eira couldn't place his voice, it seemed to be coming from everywhere at once.

Eira craned her neck to peer round the corner of one of the shelves. As she did so, she felt a large book collide with her shoulder. Eira spun to face the direction that the offending book had come from, but again, she did not see Loki.

"Hiding and fighting from the shadows is a cowards way out" she shouted at the library.

"No. It is clever. Honour will not save you when you have a dagger stuck through your belly" Loki whispered. He sounded much closer this time. Eira's body was willing her to act, to defend herself.

Doubt started to creep into her mind. Was that a threat she had heard in his voice?

Eira frowned and stepped away from the wall to listen to the sounds in the library.

This was what Loki had been waiting for. He stepped lightly behind her, still invisible to the human eye, and pressed one of his daggers into the small of Eira's back. With his free hand he held her neck.

Loki expected to feel her shaking beneath his touch, to hear her gasp in fear, but Eira was perfectly still. He opened his mouth to speak, to gloat, but in his triumph he failed to notice Eira shifting her weight. In one swift movement Eira pivoted around, pulled the dagger from Loki's grasp and held it to his throat. His lips were still slightly parted, but he could no longer find the scathing words he had wanted to use. Eira smirked at his confusion and lowered the dagger, handing it back to the Prince.

"Your tricks are clever, but you let your eagerness to best me cloud your judgement. If you are as clever as you claim then you would have seen that I had expected you to make that move. You could have been prepared."

Loki took the dagger off the soldier and sheathed it, his expression unreadable.

He looked at her for a long time. Eira shifted uncomfortably, unsure of what he was thinking.

"You're talents are lost in that fighting ring" he said softly after what had felt like an eternity of being under his gaze. "You are fast and calculating. You were not made to swing swords."

Eira bristled.

_You could never be the swordsman your sister was. Even Loki knows it._

"Well there is a reason I became an archer you know" Eira snapped, trying to ignore the voice in her head.

"I'm not trying to attack you Eira." Loki said "I want to help you."

"H-help me?" Eira was startled by this. She felt that Loki acted as an entirely selfish being. The thought of him going out of his way to help her shocked her.

"Yes" Loki said slowly. It was Eira's turn to stare now. She watched his expression for any sign that this was some form of trick. She noticed his voice sounded unsteady, as though he was not completely sure of what he was saying.

"I want to teach you how to use magic. If only for you to use it to knock that Captain of yours on his backside."

Eira did not reply, but continued to stare at the Prince. He seemed to be deliberately avoiding eye contact now. She thought about what he had said, picturing herself finally beating Halvar in the ring. She could finally stop training with him.

_I could spend more time with Loki._

Eira glanced back up at him, worried that Loki could have somehow heard the thought, but Loki was staring fixedly at the ceiling.

Eira felt the tension in the room. She had gone from feeling reasonably comfortable to exteremely awkward.

Loki felt the tension too, he wanted to take it back, to tell her he wasn't _really_ interested in teaching her. She didn't even look like she wanted to learn, she was probably trying to catch his eye to say no.

_What an utter fool. You should have kept your nose out of the business of lesser people. That pathetic display of illusion was for nothing…_

"I'm sorry" Eira said breaking the silence. "I would love to learn."

"Well then" Loki said swiftly, not missing a beat. "You can start by reading _that_."

Eira glanced to where he had inclined his head, to a book that was sat upon a table. The book looked very old, very dog eared and _very_ thick.

Eira looked back to the Prince, an almost pleading glint in her eye, but he appeared resolute, his face still an unreadable mask. He stepped away from her into back into the maze of bookshelves. Eira had the distinct feeling that he would refuse to speak to her until she had read the book from cover to cover.

If she wanted to continue spending time with Loki then she would have to pick up the book.

_It's going to be a long night…_

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading guys! As always I would love to hear your feedback! Thank you for all the favourites and stuff so far 3<strong>


	6. Chapter 6: Kiss

**I'm so sorry for any of you that have been waiting for a new chapter - this one is extra long to make up for it! **

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><p><strong>Chapter 6: Kiss<strong>

Eira resigned herself to spending the rest of the day reading. She picked up the old book off the table that Loki had instructed her to read and looked for a comfortable spot to settle in. When she was ready, Eira opened the tome and began to read. Although she knew that the book would consume the rest of the day, she doubted that it would take much longer. Eira had learned to read quickly to avoid the wrath of her father where possible.

_Besides, it's comforting to read with Loki here, even if I can't see him._

Loki watched from the first floor balcony, hands clasped smartly behind his back, as his guard let the book capture her entire attention. He didn't think that she would have noticed him there, but he had cast an invisibility illusion anyway. Her long hair fell around her face, covering it as she bent to read the words on the pages, her hand rubbed the corner of the next page absently.

He was surprised at himself for not feeling more humiliated at his loss to Eira, in fact, he only felt more sure of his decision. If she were to help him achieve his goals then she needed to be a far more competent soldier than she was now. Yes, she was fast and _yes,_ she was deadly with her bow, but that would not save her should she come face to face with the weapons of Midgard. Or Thor.

Loki shuddered involuntarily at the thought of Eira facing down his brother. Would he fight her? Or would she choose to side with him instead? Loki imagined a scenario with Thor pleading with Eira to see sense. She would side with Thor. Everyone chose Thor over him.

Or did they? Frigga had devoted far more of her time to Loki than she ever had to Thor. Maybe Eira would choose him, like his mother had.

Loki twisted his hands as he held them behind his back. It made him uncomfortable to devote his precious time to such thoughts. For as long he could remember he had been set on one goal, to rule, but now everything seemed to be changing. It had been so long since he had removed Odin from the equation, it was imperative that Loki start to set more of his plan into motion, not waste his time on things that were not important.

_This is important. A king needs his loyal subjects after all…_

Beneath him, Eira continued to turn the pages of _Magic of the Nine Realms. _

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><p>When Eira looked up from the book, the sun had long set. Her legs felt stiff from sitting in the same position for so long, so she rose and stretched. As she did so, she surreptitiously glanced around for signs of Loki, but it looked almost as though he had left the Library. Eira knew that wasn't the case as the doors had remained closed. Another quick scan of the room confirmed that the prince was nowhere to be seen.<p>

_Then he must be hiding somewhere._

Eira looked down at the book she had just devoted her day to and thought back to a passage she had read some hours ago.

_As a master of magic, a high level sorcerer has many weapons in his arsenal, but one can never underestimate the importance of deceptive techniques. Some magic users may favour clones as their distraction of choice, but more sort after is the mastery of invisibility. Sometimes taking centuries to perfect, the art of invisibility has been known to have saved thousands of sorcerers from certain death. _

_It should be noted however that there is no known way to achieve complete invisibility. A sorcerer's presence can still be detected due to a small manifestation of light, so it is imperative one uses absolute caution when facing creatures particularly sensitive to light. It is for this reason that those less practiced in the magical arts should take great care when using this brand of sorcery, as the more inexperienced the user the easier they are to detect._

Eira gazed around the library.

_So I'm looking for a manifestation of light…_

With the sun light gone, the great room was illuminated by small lanterns scattered around the enormous room. A soft orange glow bounced off the wooden floors, leaving much of the shelves in shadow

She looked up to the balconies where it was darkest, but there were no mysterious light sources there. Eira headed to the back of the Library. Here the book shelves stopped to allow for a sitting area arranged in front of an impressive hearth. The fire in the grate remained unlit and with only a few lanterns in this area of the library, the chairs were difficult to make out in the darkness. Eira looked around at the armchairs and couches, but saw nothing. She turned to make her way up to the first balcony when something glittered out of the corner of her eye.

Eira turned her head towards the armchair closest to her. As she watched, the air above the chair's cushions shimmered. It was as though she was watching dust motes made of diamonds, or a continuous fall of sparkling rain and the more she concentrated, the brighter the light glittered. Enchanted, Eira reached out a hand to touch the beautiful lights –

"-Do you mind?" Came a gruff voice from the chair.

Loki shimmered into view, Eira's fingertips almost resting on his shoulder. He had a book in his lap, but his voice had sounded as though she had woke him from sleep.

Eira had been so mesmerised by the lights that her mouth was still open, mirroring her wide eyes. For a moment Eira wanted to set her hand on the shoulder it hovered over. To experience contact other than the brief touch that Halvar's training granted her. Eira didn't act on the impulse, pulling her hand away instead.

Loki looked highly agitated, but as Eira respected his unspoken request for personal space, something like confusion flashed across his face. Eira couldn't be sure though, the light was dim after all.

"I see you finished the book?"

"Yes, I did."

"You took your time reading it, I see."

Eira ignored him. "I finished it. What now?"

"Now, we see what you have learned" Loki said, standing up and placing the book that was on his lap onto the chair. Eira caught the cover of the book as he did this, the title read _The Prince That Had No Heart_.

Loki stepped past Eira, away from the hearth. When Eira turned to face him, there were two of Loki smirking back at her. They both simultaneously moved to either side of her, close enough to touch.

"which one of us-"

"-is your real King."

Eira felt her cheeks redden. She knew that Loki was an adept in clone magic, but she had never seen him use it before. Having two of Loki staring at her intently was almost too much for Eira to handle. She closed her eyes and tried to focus on what she had read in _Magic of the Nine Realms_. She was certain that it was similar to the passage on invisibility magic.

Eira looked to the Loki on her right, trying to ignore her burning cheeks. He seemed solid enough, he could very well have been the real Loki. The same dark, shoulder length hair. The same pale skin. The same blue green eyes. As Eira assessed his features, she noticed the same glittering mist that she had seen on the chair. It was not a constant fall of light, but a gentle, occasional shimmer. Only noticeable by someone stood so close to the magical clone.

Eira now moved to face the real Loki. She was going to move her hand through the clone on the right, to break the illusion, but something stopped her. She looked up into his eyes. He gazed back at her, as though he was struggling to keep his expression even, to prevent any emotion from giving himself away too soon.

Instead of reaching out to touch the Loki on the right, Eira raised her hand and rested it upon the real Loki's chest.

A smile of triumph spread across his face as he waved away the clone, clearly under the impression that he had out smarted the soldier.

"Wrong" he said smiling down at her, his voice barely above a whisper.

Eira didn't move her hand. She held his gaze.

The pair looked at each other. Eira found herself leaning further towards him. Loki's triumphant smile became a slight frown, his brow gently furrowed. Despite himself, he too began to slowly lean towards Eira. Their faces were now inches apart, so close that Eira could feel the heat from Loki's breath. Eira's eyes dropped from the Prince's own to his lips. She wanted to lean in, to kiss him, but Loki turned his body away from her.

Eira let her hand fall to her side.

"I think" said Loki, his back turned, "that we should concentrate on magic that is less _advanced_."

Eira said nothing. Her fingers tingled from where she had rested them on Loki's chest.

"We should concentrate on teleportation. We can combine this with other forms of magic later. You remember what the book says about how to use this form of magic?"

"Yes. You have to will yourself to be somewhere else."

"It's not just _will_ Eira. You have to believe you are there. See and hear the world as if you were there. If I concentrate on how the world looks from atop that bookshelf-"

Eira blinked and Loki was gone.

"-Then I will be there." Loki said, now from the closest book shelf. He sat with one leg pulled up to his chest, the other dangling off the edge.

"Isn't this too advanced for me? Shouldn't I be changing the colour of my hair first or something?"

"If you want to start with children's magic, then you're not worth my time" Loki said coolly. "You either keep up with my pace or you go back to being a punch bag in the sparring ring."

"Fine" Eira snapped. She was irritated, but with herself rather than Loki. She had clearly angered him by trying to impose herself upon him, but still he had leaned towards her…

"Eira!" Loki barked from his perch.

Eira shot him a glare, suddenly feeling as though she _was_ a punching bag in the sparring ring, but she did not reply. She shut her eyes and tried to imagine the world from the bookshelf.

The view of all the shelves in the library…

_Loki's eyes had looked so intent…_

The sounds of the wind against the high windows…

_Loki's breath against my skin…_

The feel of the wood beneath her…

_The way Loki's chest had felt under my fingers…_

Eira felt her stomach drop as though she was falling from somewhere very high up and as soon as the sensation passed she felt her body slam into something, _hard_. The something gave a surprised yelp and a second pain hit her body as she felt her back collide with the floor. Eira slowly opened her eyes to see Loki pushing himself up from her chest.

"What on earth were you thinking about? That was a poor effort, you completely missed your mark" Loki said, pushing himself up from the floor and brushing the dust off his long coat.

"No" Eira said, her cheeks burning "I think I hit my mark fine actually."

"Well, unless your mark was me, you will certainly have to keep practising."

Eira looked up from the floor, as defiantly as she could with her red cheeks and tried to hold the Prince's gaze, but he suddenly seemed very interested in something on his sleeve.

"Let me try again" Eira urged.

Loki studied her, and nodded.

"Once more, but at this rate you're going to make a better soldier than a sorceress."

Eira watched him disappear and reappear on the first floor balcony.

She quickly shut her eyes and tried to concentrate on the place above her before Loki could taunt her more.

_Balcony. Balcony. Balcony._

Eira felt the rushing sensation again, but this time she did not seem to hit the Prince. With her eyes still shut tight, Eira felt something hard on the small of her back and assuming it was a book shelf, she leaned back. Instead of feeling something hard against her shoulder blades, Eira continued to lean back into thin air, until she could no longer control the movement. Eira's eyes snapped open, but it was entirely too late, as she was about to head straight over the balcony.

"Eira!"

She heard Loki's voice, but knew instantly she had projected herself too far from him to rely on his help. Her brain was working overtime while her body seemed to move in slow motion. Her instincts urged her to reach out a hand to catch the rail and pull herself back up. It would be easy enough, but Loki would continue to see her as a soldier. She could let herself fall, but then she would have accomplished nothing.

Instead, she shut her eyes tightly.

_Loki._

Eira felt the rushing sensation for the last time that night and felt hands grasp the top of her arms.

"You _stupid_ girl, that was slightly dramatic wasn't it?"

Eira opened her eyes and grinned at him.

"You weren't worried were you?"

"No" he snapped back, but continued to grip her arms tightly.

Eira smirked at him, the adrenaline making her far more braver. She wanted to lean in and kiss him, so what if he rejected her? She wouldn't know until she tried…

Loki stared hard at her. It had taken him great restraint not to touch her until now. Watching her careen backwards off the balcony was too much.

_I should kiss her…_

Loki tightened his grip on Eira's arms and pulled her to him. He urgently pushed his lips against hers, his grip unwavering, half expecting her to pull away, but she pushed back against him. He relinquished his grip upon one of Eira's arms to cup her face and felt her breathe a sigh against his lips.

When the pair broke apart, Loki still clung to Eira's arm. She looked up at him, panting slightly with parted lips.

"Loki-"

Eira wasn't sure how she was going to finish her sentence, but she did not get to find out. The Prince released her arm and turned his back to her.

"Go to your chambers. We're done for the night, you can continue practicing another time."

"W-what?" the girl replied, completely thrown by the lightening quick change in his mood.

She tried to reach out to him, but her fingers met air as he disappeared before her.

Somewhere below Eira, the library door clicked open.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for reading! Please don't forget to leave feedback ~ 3<strong>


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